DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 24: Desmond Bishop #55 of the Green Bay Packers watches the action from the sidelines during the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 24, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. The Packers defeated the Lions 27-15. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 24: Erin Henderson #50 of the Minnesota Vikings lines up at the line of scrimmage during the game against the San Diego Chargers on August 24, 2012 at Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Former Green Bay Packers player and now Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings enjoys a laugh during the Vikings' NFL football mini-camp, Thursday, June 20, 2013, in Eden Prairie, Minn. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

The first sign this training camp will be different? That will come right away, when Vikings players report to Minnesota State Mankato on Thursday and find that Gage Tower — the cramped dormitory that housed players for more than four decades — is no longer there waiting for them.

A couple of other losses from last year will be harder to take.

Antoine Winfield is gone. So is Percy Harvin. Two of the Vikings’ three first-round draft picks were dedicated to replacing those players, and Greg Jennings was signed to help, but as the Vikings prepare for a season of lofty expectations, they’ll have to figure out if all their tinkering was for the better.

The answer will arrive in stages, and the first one begins when practice opens Friday. The Vikings will start the process of trimming a 90-man roster to the 53-man unit they will take to Detroit on Sept. 8, and despite all the optimism they produced after last season’s playoff berth, the Vikings still have questions to answer at just about every position.

Here is our look at the 2013 Vikings by position and a guess at how they’ll look when they line up for the season opener:

Outlook: You’ll hear it constantly during camp: This is a crucial year for Ponder. He needs to show he can be a more assertive decision-maker who’s able to throw into tight openings and go through his progressions with defenders bearing down on him. Any notion of a quarterback controversy during training camp is silly, but if Ponder is ineffective early this season, the Vikings at least have a veteran backup in Cassel, who signed after Kansas City cut him in March. If the Vikings need to switch to Cassel, though, it will signify a bigger problem: that the foundation of the offense they’re building around Ponder has a crack in it.

Outlook: With two Pro Bowlers returning in the backfield — the reigning league MVP in Peterson and Felton at fullback — this is easily the most settled position on the roster. Gerhart returns as a steady third-down back, and Asiata claims a spot because of his special-teams work. Keep an eye on the diminutive Randle, who could stick if the Vikings think he could be a solid return man.

Outlook: The Vikings sank more time and money into revamping this position than any other on their roster. After all that, they still don’t know quite what to expect. Will Jennings stay healthy after missing 11 games the past two seasons? Will Simpson rebound from a disappointing season? Can Childs return from two major knee injuries? Can Patterson learn the offense as a rookie? Can Webb make the shift from quarterback? Don’t be surprised if Thielen — who had a strong showing in OTAs and minicamp — makes a strong push on his old college campus. The same goes for Summers, who spent last season on the practice squad.

Outlook: Rudolph is the unquestioned starter after winning Pro Bowl MVP honors, and it will be up to Carlson to show the Vikings he deserves a bigger role in the offense after a disappointing first season in Minnesota. Ellison is a solid run blocker and could play fullback if anything happens to Felton. If the Vikings decide to keep a fourth tight end — and they certainly could — Ford and Anderson will fight it out for the spot.

Outlook: There is little intrigue among the starting five: The Vikings return their entire line, though Fusco could get a push from Baca, Bond, Holmes or Olsen. Competition for backup spots will be fierce, with two draft picks (Baca and Bond) in the mix, a second-year player (Love) returning from injury and a veteran (Keith) trying to make it as a backup tackle. If Sullivan isn’t fully recovered from microfracture surgery on his left knee, Berger likely would get some work at center.

Outlook: At another position stocked with veterans, the Vikings will use training camp to get a feel for younger players such as Floyd — their top pick in the 2013 draft — and Ballard, who could have a future as a defensive tackle. Lawrence Jackson, who signed as a free agent, could make the team as a situational pass rusher, but the Vikings will have to decide how many pass-rushing specialists to keep vs. more size inside. With so many players in contract years — Allen, Williams, Robison, Griffen and Evans — motivation should be easy.

Outlook: The big story will be in the middle, where Henderson and Bishop figure to fight for the starting job. Whoever doesn’t play there probably will start on the weak side, though Cole and Hodges could fight for time, too. Mauti is intriguing. He has had three knee surgeries since he started college, but he probably would have been a second- or third-round pick if he had been healthy. Could he show enough at middle linebacker to stay? The Vikings will have to decide whether to gamble on his health or keep a veteran such as McKenzie or Mitchell. Dean probably will stick because of his special-teams contributions.

Outlook: There will be intense competition, especially for the final cornerback and safety spots. Lacey returns from hand surgery hoping to make up for the time he lost in minicamp, and if he’s healthy, he could challenge Jefferson for a spot as a nickel or dime back. Sendejo and Blanton likely will fight for the final safety spot, and Felder, who spent last season on the practice squad, is the kind of big, physical corner who could sneak onto the roster. Rhodes and Robinson likely will vie for snaps in the base defense, but in a perfect world, the Vikings would be able to move Robinson inside in the nickel while Rhodes handles receivers outside. The Vikings are extremely young here. We’ll see how much they miss Winfield.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Training camp roster (3): Blair Walsh, Jeff Locke, Cullen Loeffler

Projected opening day roster (3): Walsh, Locke, Loeffler

Outlook: No mystery here. Walsh returns after a Pro Bowl rookie season. Locke unseated Chris Kluwe as the Vikings looked for a punter who can pin an opponent in its own territory. And Loeffler, the dependable long snapper, returns for his 10th season.

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